garlic Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Pinchos de Pollo from Latin American Paleo Cooking + Giveaway

September 5, 2017 By Becky 17 Comments

These pinchos de pollo (Puerto Rican chicken skewers) from Latin American Paleo Cooking are a snap to make, packed with flavor, and super healthy.

So, hi! I’m back from what I think was my longest blogging hiatus ever, and I have really missed you. I have a post coming up soon with details on what I’ve been up to in case you’re interested (spoiler alert: planning our wedding and lots of freelance work!). From now on I’ll be sharing recipes more regularly again, and am really excited to get back in the game with this amazing and super simple recipe from Amanda Torres’ new cookbook, Latin American Paleo Cooking. Amanda is the brilliant recipe developer and writer behind the blog The Curious Coconut, and she wrote the cookbook with her mother in law, Milagros Torres, who grew up in Puerto Rico and has been cooking since she was ten.

The book is full of tempting recipes for family dinners, party food, quick and easy meals, sides, cooking essentials like sauces, and desserts from many different Latin American countries. Since I’m trying to slim down for my wedding (it’s in less than two weeks!), I have not even looked at the dessert chapter. However, I’ve been poring over everything else and have a huge list of what I want to make. Empanadas are at the very top of my list (and the top of the cover of the book–don’t they look amazing?)!

Blistered Okra with Garlic and Cumin

August 31, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

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blistered okra with cumin and garlic 1 v3

This blistered okra with garlic and cumin is much healthier than fried okra

but just as addictive! It’s also paleo, gluten-free, and vegan.

How do you feel about okra? I always hated it in gumbo and other gummy preparations as a kid, but quickly fell in love with fried okra. Last year I even made a paleo version of fried okra that’s really good, but it’s not super quick to make.

My love for okra eventually expanded to include bhindi masala, an Indian curry where the okra is cooked with plenty of ginger, garlic, onion, and tomato, and there’s a recipe for that in my cookbook. While delicious, bhindi masala also takes a little time to make.

Blistered Okra with Garlic and Cumin #30MinuteMondays | acalculatedwhisk.com

When I scored some really beautiful okra at the farmers’ market, I wanted to cook it quickly in a way that would highlight its intrinsic flavor while minimizing its intrinsic gumminess. A little research indicated that cooking okra briefly over relatively high heat would be most likely to achieve those results.

I was so happy with how this recipe turned out! Slicing the okra lengthwise provides a nice surface for browning while preserving the attractive silhouette of the pods. (Did you know okra is also known as lady fingers? Move on over, cookies whose sole purpose is to make tiramisu!) The recipe starts with getting a cast iron skillet nice and hot, then adding butter or oil. Whole cumin seeds, garlic cloves, and dried chiles are added next, infusing the cooking fat with savory and subtly spiced flavor and a gentle, warming heat. The okra are added next and cooked for about ten minutes, turning a few times, until nice and browned. Add a hefty sprinkle of flaky sea salt and that’s it! Non-fried okra that you won’t be able to stop eating.

Roasted Shrimp and Asparagus with Green Goddess Dressing

June 29, 2015 By Becky 10 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Roasted Shrimp & Asparagus with Green Goddess Dressing (Paleo) | acalculatedwhisk.com #30minuteMondays

Succulent roasted shrimp and asparagus are served with a tangy garlic scape green goddess dressing for an easy, 30-minute paleo dinner that’s also Whole30-compliant.

I’m kind of mad at myself because I missed the boat on ramps this year. At the photography workshop I went to in May we ate them at almost every meal (there’s a picture of them in this post), and when I got home I vowed to track some down so I could cook with them myself for the first time. However, I’m a lazy late-evening grocery shopper and there were never any ramps left. Before long, their short season had ended.

You’ll be relieved to hear that I am NOT missing out on garlic scapes.

While ramps are their own kind of plant and are usually foraged wild (hence their limited availability), garlic scapes are the flowering stalks of garlic plants that farmers cut off so the plant’s energy can be fully devoted to the bulb forming below. Garlic scapes are cool looking (see evidence above) and I like their name: it sounds like they’ve been trying to escape from the head of garlic, which is pretty much what they actually do.

Garlic scapes are milder than regular garlic with some fresher, grassier notes to their flavor–kind of like a cross between garlic, scallions, and chives. Here I used them to make a green goddess dressing with some fresh herbs and Primal Kitchen’s avocado oil mayo, which I just tried for the first time. I’m not a mayo person at all so I don’t foresee myself ever eating it straight up, but once some other flavors are mixed in to create a dressing or aioli, I can usually hop on board. (If you haven’t seen garlic scapes at your local market, don’t worry. You can substitute scallions and a clove of regular old garlic.)

Kratiem Prik Thai Short Ribs with Quick-Pickled Carrots

November 10, 2014 By Becky 8 Comments

Wintry weather has already made an appearance in Boston; we had our first snow, albeit a small one, last weekend. I hate being cold outside and abhor feeling cold indoors even more, but I also, like a true New Englander, am always reluctant to turn on the heat.

My best solution for cold days at home is to have something in the oven pretty much at all times. And since I can’t always be making and eating desserts, my favorite thing to do is braise meat or chicken. The cooking time is nice and long, so it will really warm up your house (or at least your kitchen). The bonus effect of this heating strategy is that you will also be really well fed.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Garlic and Chili Oil

October 14, 2014 By Becky 14 Comments

A little over a week ago, my laptop gave me the prohibitory sign when I tried to turn it on. Now that’s all it will do–show a gray screen with a circle with a slash through it, and one of those little timers that never stops turning.

I’m in the process of mourning the photos I lost and trying to scrape together money to buy a new computer. Luckily, my school lent me a laptop to use in the interim–a giant, clunky monster of a PC, but so much better than nothing. I’ve been comforting myself with this soup.

Sweet Potato & Roasted Garlic Hummus

March 28, 2014 By Becky Leave a Comment

Is it spring yet? It’s still freezing here. Also, yesterday was so windy that I ended up getting dust and tiny pebbles blown into my eyes several times during my ten-minute walk to the train. A little early-spring sandstorm right here in Boston. Needless to say, I was not a fan.

I’m trying to keep my food springy, in hopes that the weather will follow suit. So, here is some paleo (chickpea-free) hummus. It’s a little sweet from the sweet potato, but with lots of savory flavor from the tahini, a whole head of roasted garlic, and some garlic-infused olive oil. Don’t be intimidated by the large quantity of garlic–it mellows out as it roasts, and the flavor is amazing. Your house will smell amazing, too.

Sweet Potato & Kale Gratin (Whole30 Day 8)

January 9, 2014 By Becky 19 Comments

Looking for more Whole30 recipes? Check out my cookbook Paleo Planet (there are over 80 in there!) and the Whole30 section of my recipe index.

Phew! Posting every single day is starting to get very exhausting!

Don’t get me wrong–I love to dream up recipes, cook, take pictures, and then write about it. It’s just that somehow I find myself on the couch each evening around 11, realizing there is so much work left to do! Yesterday’s post went up at 11:59 pm. It always takes a little bit of pressure to actually get my nose to the grindstone.

I think that since it’s 10:58 right now, and I already have the photos and the recipe all set, I should be getting this one up a little earlier.

But before I hit “publish”, though, let me tell you about this good-looking gratin!

Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Kale Marinara (Whole30 Day 4)

January 4, 2014 By Becky 15 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Kale Marinara (Paleo, Whole30)

These deliciously moist paleo & gluten-free chicken meatballs with garlic kale marinara are Whole30 compliant and contain two hidden vegetables!

I’ve always been more of a baker than a cook, but I’m working hard to change that, especially since starting my Whole30. It’s exciting to try lots of different meats in lots of different forms. Yesterday I made pork belly (you can see the before & after pics on Instagram–it was good, but not quite good enough to share with you!). Today I used ground chicken to make meatballs. I am so happy with the way this dish turned out–it’s one of the best savory recipes I’ve made! The meatballs are moist and rich, and the sauce provides the perfect level of tart tomato and roasted garlic flavor.

Mashed Rutabaga and Squash with Roasted Garlic (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free)

November 12, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

Mashed Rutabaga & Squash with Roasted Garlic (Paleo, Vegan) | acalculatedwhisk.com

Mashed rutabaga and squash with roasted garlic is a paleo and vegan side dish that’s comforting and packed with flavor.

Have you ever tried rutabagas? They’re also called yellow turnips, and they make an amazing low-carb replacement for mashed potatoes. I was initially inspired to try them after seeing Ina Garten’s recipe for mashed rutabaga with crispy shallots, and I like to serve them with bacon-wrapped shrimp. I once asked Ben what his favorite dish that I’d ever made was, and he told me he’s always happy when I make mashed rutabaga.

Since I’m working on Thanksgiving sides this week, I wanted to put a fall spin on things. Here I’ve added winter squash, as well as a generous amount of roasted garlic. The combination of mashed rutabaga and squash is fabulous.

Don’t be scared by the fact that this recipe calls for a whole head of garlic–once the cloves are roasted, they’re soft, mellow, and almost nutty. If you haven’t roasted garlic before, you have to try it. It’s really nothing like its pungent, raw self. If you need more reasons to try it, consider this: garlic has lots of antioxidants, and you won’t have to worry about running into any vampires.

Stuffed Zucchini with Goat Cheese & Herbs

September 4, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

Cheese is back! After finishing up my version of a Whole 30, I’ve been adding some dairy back into my diet. I’ve made some interesting discoveries. I used to think that too much coffee upset my stomach, but since switching to almond milk, I realized it was all the milk in my coffee that was causing me problems (I like a LOT of milk in my coffee). So I’m trying not to go too crazy with the dairy, but I’m fine with a little cheese.

Goat cheese is one of my favorite cheeses, and it’s one that people who are lactose intolerant can often still enjoy. Apparently this is because the fat molecules in goat’s milk are shorter than those in cow’s milk, and thus easier to digest. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I can enjoy goat cheese. It really takes these stuffed zucchini over the top.

One more note on ingredients: this was my first time cooking with ground pork. It was so good! Why is everyone still buying ground beef all the time? I mean, I’m sure this recipe would be good with beef, or even ground chicken or turkey, but the pork just has so much great flavor. Perhaps this is due to a higher fat content? What I really want to know is this: why don’t people make hamburgers out of ground pork? Any thoughts? After all, they are called HAMburgers…

On to the recipe! I’m eager to try this with other vegetables as well: maybe mushrooms instead of peppers, or shallots instead of onions. Let me know if you try this or any variations!

Spicy Cocoa Chili

August 11, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

If you are going to eat paleo, you are going to need a lot of protein in your fridge. Otherwise, you will be constantly cranky.

Shrimp & Zoodles with Garlic Tomato Sauce

August 6, 2013 By Becky 8 Comments

Have you ever made zoodles? If you get yourself a julienne peeler, you can be making zucchini into low-carb noodle stand-ins in no time. It’s actually really good. You may not be able to fool people into thinking they are eating actual spaghetti, but I don’t think anyone will be complaining.